Method of forming duplicate sound-record cylinders.



` PATENTED AUG. 4, 1903. A. N. PETIT. I METHOD OP FORMING DUPLIOATE SOUND RECORD GYLINDERS.

APPLIOATION FILED 00T. 11, 1902.

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- UNITED STATI-3S' Patented August 4, 1902:?.

A, PATENT OFFICE.

ADEMOR N. PETIT, OF LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND, ASSIGNOR TO THE INTER- NATIONAL PHONOGRAPH AND INDESTRUOTIBLE RECORD COMPANY, LIMITED, OF LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND.

METHOD F FORMING DUPLlCATE SOUND-RECORD CYLNDRS.

SPECIFICATION forming part 0f Letters Patent N o. 735,579, dated August 4, 1903.

v- Application nei oiobeiii, 1902. serial no. 126,864. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern:

Beit known that I, ADEMOR N; PET1T,a citi- Zen of the United States,residing at Liverpool, in the county of Lancaster, England, have in- 1vented an Improvement in Methods of Forming Duplicate Sound -Record Cylinders, of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to produce a more perfect and commercial sound-'record of 1o cylindrical form and made of celluloid `or other similar or suitable 'material than it has heretofore been possible to produce in an effort to overcome the harsh and grating sounds usually. incident to records of celluloid. In I 5 an application for Letters Patent iiledl by me May l5, 1902, Serial No. 107,455,1Ihave illustrated and described a metalv matrixand receptacle suitable for carrying outthe method" of the present application. v

In carrying out the method of my present invention I place the celluloidV blank within the matrix, connect the matrix to a suitable base, and seal the respective ends of the celluloid blank to the matrix and the base, ex- 2 5 haust the air, and remove the moisture that may be between the juxtaposed surfacesiof the matrix and celluloid blank. I then place said parts in a suitable receptacle and apply heat to soften the celluloid blankL and pres- 3o sure to force the same into intimate contact with the matrix to form a duplicate soundrecord, thereafter cooling the-body of celluloid and removing the same frcm the matrix as a complete duplicate sound-record cylin- 3 5 der. The blank of celluloid or other suitable material is preferably made with' inturned ends of varying diameters to agree with and iit the taper mandrel of the reproducing-machine, and this blank is preferably passed 4o into the matrix from --the'lower open end.`

The sealing of the respective ends of the blank to the matrix andbase is not only for the purpose ofvforming an air-tight joint, but to prevent theentrance ofthe steam, hot gases, or

hot water that may be applied to soften the blank', as well as to prevent the entrance of material by which pressure is exerted to force i the blank outwardly into the interstices of the matrix.

In the apparatus employed to carry out this method and with particular reference to seal- ;ing the.l ends of theblank I employ elastic washers atl the respective ends of theblank Aand against the elastic washers clampingrings which form seats for springactuated tension-rods which extend between the said clamping-rings andact to force the same outwardly, simultaneously compressing the elastic washers to place'. The heat and pressure mediums are preferably passed into the repipe in the cover, and before the apparatus is inserted into the receptacle the air and moisfture are exhausted by means of devices in the Vbase connected to the matrix and which structureis hereinafter fully described.

VIn thedrawings Ihave illustrated Va device adapted for the carrying out of my improved method, in which-- Figure I is a'vertical section and `partial lelevation j representing the complete apparatus and parts employed by me. Fig. 2 is a vertical section and partial elevation of the parts directly associated for the purpose of effecting the vacuum, and Fig. 3 is an inverted plan of the upper clamping-ring.

The matrix employed comprises a ring or annulus c at the lower-end, a ring or annulus d at the upper end, and an intervening electrodeposited cylinder e, the said parts c d e forming an integral whole or matrix in which the blank f is received. Referring to Fig. 2, afterV the insertion into the matrix of the celluloid blank, the matrix is secured by the screws 4 toa base g, which base is provided with a flange interiorly threaded in part and ing the parts together, with an intervening .washer which forms an air-tight joint.

It will be noticed that in the base of the matrix there is an annular groove, and in this I place a packing-ring 7, and the adjacent surface of the base gis preferably made with shallow concentric grooves, so that when the matrix and the base g are connected by the screws 4 the packing 7 fills the grooves and at this point also makes an air-tight joint.

In the center of the vbase there is a tapceptacle containing the apparatus through ato which the base-block his secured by screw- .elastic material washers l() Il, covered by Clamping-rings 2 k, and between said clamping-rings I employ spring-actuated tensionrods vmf, the oflice of which is to press the clamping-rings apart and press the iiexible or elastic washers 10 1l against the respective ends of the Celluloid blank and the ma'- trix at one end andthe base g at the other end, so as to eifectually close oif the joint between the ends of the Celluloid blank and the matrix and base, and so prevent the entrance of air or of any material that may be Within the blank passing between the surface of the blank and the surface of the matrix. These clamping-rings i k are preferably made in two parts for ready insertion within the matrix and Celluloid blank, and they are preferably provided upon their surfaces contacted with by the spring-actuated extension-rods m with recesses into which the I ends of said extension-rods pass, so as to prevent their shifting from the position in which they are placed. Through the base g there are apertures S, which vertically agree with the line of division between the inner surface of the matrix e and the outer surface of the Celluloid blank, and before the parts are inserted into the receptacle a I apply a device o for exhausting air to the lower surface of the base-block h, adjacent to the central opening therein and preferably in a recess provided therefor, and at the same time I loosen the tap-screw 9, so as to exhaust any air that there may be between the juxtaposed surfaces of the matrix and blank of Celluloid or similar material and to remove also any moisture that there may be between said surfaces, thus preparing for close and intimate contact of said surfaces during the further treatment of the blank. Upon exhausting this air and removing the moisture the tap-screw 9 is forced tightly down to its seat to close oif the opening in the base-block 7L and Complete the seal of the parts. The apparatus is then placed in the receptacle n, the removable cover is fastened thereon, and through the pipe l2 in the cover steam or hot water is introduced into the receptacle and within the Celluloid blank and against the inner surface thereof and pressure is applied, the heat softening the blank and the pressure forcing the same outward into all the delicate interstices of the matrix and at the same time forcing the turned-over end of the Celluloid blank against the matrix to receive the impression of the name, the intimate Contact thus eifected being made possible and insured by the previous removal of the air and moisture from the juxtaposed surfaces of the matrix and blank.

I do not limit myself to the use of steam or hot water, as any fluid under pressure and in the presence of heat may serve an equal purpose. After maintaining the pressure and heat for the desired period the Celluloid duplicate sound-record is Cooled, preferably by the introduction of cold water. This fixes the Celluloid or similar material, reduces it to its normal non-plastic condition, causes a slight shrinkage or contraction of the same, which appreeiably separates the surface of the duplicate sound-record cylinder from the surface of the matrix. The apparatus is then removed from the receptacle n and the parts separated and the duplicate sound-record cylinder taken out of the matrix, the same then becoming a finished article of commerce.

The molding of a record with a smooth and perfect surface depends upon exhausting the air between the juxtaposed surfaces of the matrix and Celluloid-blank cylinder before the application of heat and pressure to soften and force thc material into intimate Contact with the matrix-surface; otherwise any air or gases or moisture that may exude from the molding composition during the application of heat and pressure will lodge between the matrix and material and cause the surface of the record-cylinder to yield an imperfect reproduction in which crackling and hissing sounds are in evidence.

Previous to inserting the blank of Celluloid or other suitable material in the matrix and applying thereto heat and pressure I may prefer to treat the surface thereof with the solvent preparation described in Letters Patent granted to me December 4, 1900, No. 662,961, so as to slightly soften the surface and insure the most intimate Contact.

I claim as my inventionl. In the method of forming duplicate sound-record Cylinders of Celluloid or similar material, placing the Celluloid blank within the matrix, connecting the matrix to a suit- IOD IIO

able base, sealing the respective ends of the blank to the matrix and the base, exhausting air and removing moisture between the juxtaposed surfaces of the matrix and Celluloid blank, applying heat to soften the Celluloid blank and pressure to force the same into intimate contact with the matrix to forni a duplicate sound-record, thereafter cooling the Celluloid and removing the same from the matrix, substantially as set forth.

2. In the method of forming duplicate sound-record cylinders of Celluloid or similar material, the method of placing the Celluloid blank within the matrix, connecting the matrix to a suitable base and at the same time forming an air-tight joint between said parts, sealing the respective ends of the blank of celluloid or similar material to the matrix and to the base, exhausting the air and removing any moisture between the juxtaposed surfaces of the matrix and Celluloid blank, and

maintaining the vacuum so produced, substantially as set forth.

3. In the method of forming duplicate sound-record cylinders of Celluloid or similar material, the method of placing the Celluloid blank Within the matrix, connecting the matrix to a suitable base and at the same time forming an air-tight joint between said parts, applying against one end of the blank and the matrix and against'the other end of the blank and the base suitable expansive devices under tension for sealing the respective ends ofthe blank and for continuously ex- ADEMOR N. PETIT.

Vitnesse's RICHARD MILBORN, H. WATSON. 

